Just Walk Across the Room: Taking the First Step to Winning People For Christ
In his new book: "Just Walk Across the Room: Simple Steps Pointing People to Faith", Bill Hybels presents a real-life example of how following a simple prompting of the Holy Spirit ultimately changed the life of his son's soccer coach. Bill writes...
When my son was in the fifth or sixth grade, he joined a soccer league. And although Todd was a talented athlete for his age, team sports were a little intimidating to him. The man who served for the next three years as Todd’s soccer coach was a businessman named Brian, a fantastic guy who really loved kids. Miraculously, he built hope and confidence into my otherwise-apprehensive son and actually sold Todd on the idea that he could be a terrific soccer player.
For three years I stood on the sidelines at almost every game. My wife, Lynne, my daughter, Shauna, and I cheered for Todd beside other parents who were rooting for their little guys, all of us engaging in the obnoxious hollering that families do at youth soccer matches. Afterward, we’d typically enjoy a few minutes of fellowship with other families that attended Willow.
One afternoon, Brian was in the center of the field after a long day, loading cones into his car so that he could head home. Just then, the Holy Spirit said, “Walk across the soccer field and help him, Hybels. Leave this safe little group, and go see if you can get to know Brian.” I can replay the scene in my mind as if it happened yesterday.
As I put one foot in front of the other and headed toward where Brian stood, I tried to prepare myself for whatever might unfold once I opened my mouth. Ought to be interesting. After introducing myself, we chatted about the kids on the team, about what line of work Brian was involved in, and eventually about my occupation. He wasn’t too thrilled to discover that I was a pastor, but as weeks went by, he continued to engage in brief conversations with me after games or practices.
Each time we talked, I would thank Brian for the meaningful impact he was having on my son. “I appreciate how much time you volunteer out of your busy schedule to coach these kids,” I would tell him. “I think what you are doing is noble and classy, Brian. I’ll always be grateful.”
On one day in particular, when we were nearing a holiday service at Willow, I was prompted by the Spirit to walk across that soccer field again, this time to see if Brian would like to attend the service. Mustering an additional ounce of courage with each step I took, I asked him if he would consider coming to Willow just once with me. His response instantly erased any hope of receptivity on his part. “Oh, man, Bill, I knew it would turn into this! I just knew someday it would land here. Look, I know plenty about Willow Creek — I get tied up in its traffic every week. The whole thing frustrates me. God is not part of my life, church is not part of my life, and I’d just as soon take this whole thing off of the agenda here.” (Hey, at least he was clear.)
“Okay, Brian,” I said, trying to relax him. “No pressure, I promise. I’m committed to respecting your wishes.” And each week the following year, I would walk step by step across that soccer field to help him pick up balls and cones. How small those steps felt! Was I helping at all?
“How’d things go this week?” I’d ask. And we would talk about business and the deals he was working on. Then he would ask me how my week had been. I suppose my no-pressure approach served its purpose: I no longer offended Brian with unsolicited invitations to church. But to me, the whole experience seemed like an exercise in spiritual water-treading. Eventually Todd cycled out of the soccer league, and I lost contact with Brian altogether. Frankly, I assumed I’d never see him again. But after several years had passed, the day came when Brian’s world was turned dramatically upside down. Business issues shifted. His family life tilted. In sobering and unexpected ways, pain and despair walked through the front door of his life and took up residence there.
See the rest of the review here......
When my son was in the fifth or sixth grade, he joined a soccer league. And although Todd was a talented athlete for his age, team sports were a little intimidating to him. The man who served for the next three years as Todd’s soccer coach was a businessman named Brian, a fantastic guy who really loved kids. Miraculously, he built hope and confidence into my otherwise-apprehensive son and actually sold Todd on the idea that he could be a terrific soccer player.
For three years I stood on the sidelines at almost every game. My wife, Lynne, my daughter, Shauna, and I cheered for Todd beside other parents who were rooting for their little guys, all of us engaging in the obnoxious hollering that families do at youth soccer matches. Afterward, we’d typically enjoy a few minutes of fellowship with other families that attended Willow.
One afternoon, Brian was in the center of the field after a long day, loading cones into his car so that he could head home. Just then, the Holy Spirit said, “Walk across the soccer field and help him, Hybels. Leave this safe little group, and go see if you can get to know Brian.” I can replay the scene in my mind as if it happened yesterday.
As I put one foot in front of the other and headed toward where Brian stood, I tried to prepare myself for whatever might unfold once I opened my mouth. Ought to be interesting. After introducing myself, we chatted about the kids on the team, about what line of work Brian was involved in, and eventually about my occupation. He wasn’t too thrilled to discover that I was a pastor, but as weeks went by, he continued to engage in brief conversations with me after games or practices.
Each time we talked, I would thank Brian for the meaningful impact he was having on my son. “I appreciate how much time you volunteer out of your busy schedule to coach these kids,” I would tell him. “I think what you are doing is noble and classy, Brian. I’ll always be grateful.”
On one day in particular, when we were nearing a holiday service at Willow, I was prompted by the Spirit to walk across that soccer field again, this time to see if Brian would like to attend the service. Mustering an additional ounce of courage with each step I took, I asked him if he would consider coming to Willow just once with me. His response instantly erased any hope of receptivity on his part. “Oh, man, Bill, I knew it would turn into this! I just knew someday it would land here. Look, I know plenty about Willow Creek — I get tied up in its traffic every week. The whole thing frustrates me. God is not part of my life, church is not part of my life, and I’d just as soon take this whole thing off of the agenda here.” (Hey, at least he was clear.)
“Okay, Brian,” I said, trying to relax him. “No pressure, I promise. I’m committed to respecting your wishes.” And each week the following year, I would walk step by step across that soccer field to help him pick up balls and cones. How small those steps felt! Was I helping at all?
“How’d things go this week?” I’d ask. And we would talk about business and the deals he was working on. Then he would ask me how my week had been. I suppose my no-pressure approach served its purpose: I no longer offended Brian with unsolicited invitations to church. But to me, the whole experience seemed like an exercise in spiritual water-treading. Eventually Todd cycled out of the soccer league, and I lost contact with Brian altogether. Frankly, I assumed I’d never see him again. But after several years had passed, the day came when Brian’s world was turned dramatically upside down. Business issues shifted. His family life tilted. In sobering and unexpected ways, pain and despair walked through the front door of his life and took up residence there.
See the rest of the review here......
posted by Royal | 10:22 AM
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